Happy pt 2. Douglas Firs

Three Douglas First albums can be found here but after 2017 things became quiet. At least here. With Happy pt2 Gertjan van Hellemont returns, older (39), wiser and more mellow than I remember and all the influences and resemblances still can be heard today. With 'Shimmer & Glow' I already wrote that Douglas Firs looked firmly into the rearview mirror musically. On the new album that happens even more, as if Van Hellemont in part was inspired also by the music his (grand)parents listened to when they were young.

What Happy pt 2 foremost is, is an album that allows itself to be listened to in an extremely smooth way. An album that is everything but dangerous, o.k. it has one or two moments,without becoming too sweet or mellow. The strings could be transposed to a Doris Day or Debbie Reynolds single from the 1950s with ease, the drums and bass cannot. The strings make the album sound familiar to my generation, having heard these kind of songs when our parents played their old singles and albums, but a younger generation? I doubt it. The combination Douglas Firs creates here is a delicate one, because usually I would discard an album like it. I do when I'm in the mood for something tougher, some Amyl and The Sniffers when I was cooking tonight. When eating though Happy pt 2 certainly is a good choice.

Luckily Van Hellemont is not afraid to jump the gun. Just listen how the guitar jumps overboard in 'Back To That Day', suggesting that going back has become impossible with all the pain and anguish coming from that. Is it therefore that the next song is called 'I Miss You'? He sings about his son to his mother who is no longer there. About the questions you never even thought of asking when it was still possible. The song touches on the exact right sentiment, with longing horns and a quizzical, searching piano moving through the melody. The song becomes a little jazzy, with the sax taking the mood and sound from Sonny Rollins' solo in The Rolling Stones' 'Waiting On A Friend'.

Promo photo: Francis Vanhee

Things do get tougher on Happy pt 2. Douglas Firs plays its own form of alternative rock in 'Start Again', showing the above mentioned guitar solo was no accident. The song ends in swath of strings though, changing the mood totally. In between we can his son babbling away in the song.

With the folk ballad 'It Isn't Me' pedal steel guitar and all, Douglas Firs shows its enormous diversity on the album. Each song brings a new surprise. The musicality is striking though. 'Just To Get It Right' is another ballad but so different. Beauty exists in music and this song is proving it does. The atmospherics change my world a little when listening to it. The horns hover over the song, as do the pedal steel and the electric guitar's sparse notes. The way everything is mixed is very decisive for the mood of this song.

By then Douglas Firs has totally convinced me. More so than on albums two and three. (I've missed number four.) By moving through genres and decades the band not only shows diversity but also grasping the essence of it all. This is what shows foremost on Happy pt 2 and makes for extremely pleasant listening. And then the Stonesy country gospel of 'Magazine' still has to come, as do three more songs. Let me leave you alone with the album to find out for yourself.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

You can order Happy pt 2 here:

https://excelsior-recordings.com/products/douglas-firs-happy-pt-2

2024, week 37. 10 singles

With a regular 10 singles feature, things are slowly going back to normal. It all starts with a reference to the last single of the previous Wednesday post, which was a debut on this blog and that mostly continues to be the case. No truly old hands in this post. Go out and discover but above all enjoy.

The Shot. The Giraffes

"When he heard the shot, he caressed, you did your best", singer Aaron Lazar of The Giraffes sings in The Shot. Where the conclusion of this line is concerned, I'm convinced the band did just that. Everyone listening to the song will conclude like me that The Giraffes took over where Mark Lanegan left off with The Screaming Trees' last album. They add a little 60s The Kinks vibes in the la, la and aah, aah sequence and some dominant alternative rock in the second half of The Shot. The result is a song loaded with tension, but unlike Lovina Falls' 'Ellery Way', which usually would have been right on top of this review (see previous Wednesday), The Giraffes allows the tension a full release. The Shot is far from an easy song. For that the structure, tempo and notes used are to irregular. All together it is quite an impressive song though. Brooklyn's The Giraffes is around since 1996 and working towards the release of its upcoming album 'Cigarette'. 27 September is the date.

Anesthetic Analgesic. Platonick Dive

Anesthetic Analgesic? Now what can that possibly mean? It is not explained in the song, as it is an instrumental. Yes, it's a rock song, but at the same time it is absolutely relaxed. It comes across to me as a mix of Asaf Avidan with Marillion and little bits and pieces of other famous bands of the past five decades. Platonick Dive is band from Livorno in Italy. It started in 2010 and still consists of Gabriele Centelli, Marco Figliè and Jonathan Nelli. Together they play guitar, bass and drums, with lots of overdubs. It does seem like someone plays some keyboards as well, as all the holes left by the other instruments are filled up here and there with some nice synth sounds. Platonick Dive manages to find the extra melodies in its composition regularly, before taking the song to its grand finale, making it towards the post rock monicker instead of symphonic rock. Take a Deep Breath is the album and will be released on 13 September.

Spinning. Pom Pom Squad

From POM to Pom Pom Squad is a smaller step than one might think. Both bands play alternative rock with a modern pop flavour. One from Amsterdam the latter from Brooklyn, which allows for more attention usually. Pom Pom Squad made its debut on this blog a little over three years ago with its debut album 'Death Of A Cheerleader'. I'll admit to having forgotten all about the band in the meantime. Spinning is a great reminder though. The alternative rock laced with modern synth sounds gives singer Mia Berrin the opportunity to be both sweet, sensitive and tough. And here she matches POM singer Liza van As. Fans of both bands should be listening to each other, the similarity in names may be coincidental, there's always a deeper meaning in the cosmos, isn't there? Spinning's stop start rhythms give the song a different kind of energy than most songs have. The tough drums hold it all together for Pom Pom Squad in the choruses. Mirror Starts Moving Without Me is released on 25 October.

Sick Of The Blues. Porridge Radio

Sick Of The Blues has Dana Margolin shouting to the world that she's "in love with my life again". No matter how small the song starts, just Margolin's voice and electric guitar, the song does follow the structure of the songs created by The Police and Nirvana, to name two bands. Porridge Radio certainly knows its way in the small - huge or light - shade kind of songs. The single announces the release of an album with an impossibly long name, 'Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me' (18 October). Having the privilege of being able to listen to it already, I can only share that Sick Of The Blues is the bellwether to a great new album. That Dana Margolin is in love again, does not mean that the all's well in the world. From the outside, I remain deeply concerned for her well-being. On the other hand, if it brings songs this intense and good, something beautiful comes from it all. The trumpet at the end comes as a huge surprise, a very nice and smooth ending to a very intense song.

Passage Way. Nap Eyes

Nap Eyes is a name you have not come across yet on this blog, until today. With Passage Way the band has released a single that has an endless lyric and plays the same chords over and over, but slowly but surely the band raises its commitment to Passage Way, before things are allowed to wind down near the end, when singer-guitarist Nigel Chapman is left to fend for his own in the final line. Nap Eyes is a Canadian band on route to the release of its fifth album, 'The Neon Gate' on 18 October. Together with Brad Loughead (guitars, bass, synths, drum programming), Josh Salter (bass, guitars, synths) and Seamus Dalton (drums, guitars, synth) Chapman manages to make a song that in its essence is very elementary, yet sounds extremely interesting. One name comes to mind, Wilco, without the musical madness as in a Nels Cline solo. Just like that band Nap Eyes is able to tell a long story and make people listen.

Pay Phone. Artificial Go

Enter the debut single of Artificial Go, a band from Cincinnati, Ohio. Fans from anything from The B-52s to Gruppo Sportivo will heave a collective sigh for things that once were and things that are now. Artificial Go manages to grasp both bands' vibe but not their vibrancy. It comes close though. Just like the arty-new wave-punkers Pay Phone contains a few musical curve balls, musical enthusiasm barely matches competence, yet, in the meantime the song is filled with enthusiasm and musicality. Pay Phone is no 'Private Idaho' nor 'Hey Girl', it is Pay Phone and brings this kind of music into the third decade of the 21st century. It needs more bands like Artificial Go as we have enough of the louder post-punk bands already. Album 'Hopscotch Fever' was released last Friday.

Van Goes. Being Dead

Goes is a city in the Dutch province Zeeland. Whether Being Dead names its single after the town, I strongly doubt but then who knows? Referring to the above single 'Pay Phone', I notice that Van Goes also has a neurotic The B-52's rhythm and a man-female vocal. On top of that, it has a feeling of weirdness that brings me back to the first Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention albums. In other words, Van Goes may be from 2024, its influences go back close to sixty years. Just as confusing is the bio mentioning a duo and the photo showing a trio. All that aside, Van Goes is an energetic single full of weirdness and surprises, the kind that is unpredictable. There's no way of telling what comes next. Being Dead is not afraid to do anything. What this means for an album? We will have to be patient until 'EELS' is released on 27 September.

Tombstone Junction. JC Miller

JC Miller made his debut on this blog in the early summer. Now it's fall and he returns with another oh so fine country rock or American roots song. There's no need to do something new or revolutionary when you are able to write and record a song like Tombstone Junction. This single is a decent song with the kind of rough edge that makes it shine. Everything about this song is neat and aimed at pleasing fans of songs like it. At the same time it contains it all. A strong drum part, a supporting bass, some modestly dirty sounding guitars, a slide in the background and in the solo, a warm Hammond coming through it all, a piano note here and there, and finally some soft sounding strings (or synths), all in support of that voice that comes with a nice edge to it. JC Miller knows exactly what he's doing and presents it proudly. Tombstone Junction, not a "farewell" as Miller sings, but a see you again soon, is my guess.

Waiting For The Catch. Shed Seven

Shed Seven is around for 30 years according to the bio send with the upcoming album, 'Liquid Gold' (27-09). 30 Years and I can't remember ever having heard of Shed Seven. Based on Waiting For The Catch, that might have been a shame. This single is a great mix between pop and rock. It has a smoothness Tears for Fears once had (perhaps still, I don't know) and brings in a far directer rock sound, while smoothing things over at every chance with large swaths of synths. The singing is another plus. Shed Seven's singer Rick Witter shares duties with Issy Ferris of the UK folk/rock/Americana duo Ferris & Sylvester. They sing a full duet of an undercooled quality where the flames lick at when they sing the title of the single, "waiting for the catch". The sound of the New York band is chockfull. There are instruments to be heard everywhere. The whole span of the mix is filled with one. Until the guitar is allowed to jump in front with a pointed solo. This is the kind of song that deserves to become a hit.

I Don't Care. The Mono Kids

In my mind The Mono Kids can be found on this blog for years already and yet the first time it featured is only 2023. The Eindhoven duo returns with a punkrocker that has little, better, no consideration for the more sensitive ears. The only thing the people attached to these ears can be happy about is that it is all over at 1 minute and 19 seconds. With I Don't Care The Mono Kids honour classic punk bands but also the garage rock bands of the 60s. When they repeat the "I don't care" lyric a host of bands spring up in my mind from a very long time ago, when Dutch "pop groups" scored hits and obscure U.S. bands recorded singles that can be found on 'Nuggets' or the 'Psychedelic States' series. The song is over before you know but by then The Mono Kids have more than made its point. What an energy and what fun!

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

hummingbird. Carly Pearce

Het was een lange weg voor Carly Pearce, maar inmiddels behoort ze tot de smaakmakers van de countrypop, wat ze nog eens bevestigt met het meer tegen authentieke Amerikaanse rootsmuziek aanleunende hummingbird.

Iedereen die op basis van haar eerste twee albums twijfelde over de talenten van Carly Pearce werd over de streep getrokken door het indrukwekkende breakup album 29: Written In Stone, waarmee ze zich schaarde onder de beteren binnen de Nashville countrypop. Met het deze week verschenen hummingbird laat Carly Pearce horen dat ze binnen de countrypop nog altijd met de besten mee kan, maar hummingbird is een album dat ook liefhebbers van wat authentieker klinkende Amerikaanse rootsmuziek aan moet kunnen spreken. Invloeden uit de pop hebben een flinke stap terug gedaan op een album dat zowel in muzikaal als in vocaal opzicht makkelijk overtuigt.

Carly Pearce wist al op hele jonge leeftijd dat haar hart bij de muziek lag. Ze speelde op haar elfde in een bluegrass band in Kentucky en liet op haar zestiende de schoolbanken achter zich om aan de slag te gaan als zangeres in het pretpark Dollywood. Op haar negentiende vertrok ze naar Nashville, waar het leven in eerste instantie zwaar was, maar vanaf 2016 begon het harde werken te lonen.

Haar door Busbee geproduceerde debuutalbum Every Little Thing werd in 2017 goed ontvangen in Nashville en ook het in 2020 verschenen titelloze album, tevens het laatste werk van producer Busbee voor zijn dood, deed het uitstekend in de Amerikaanse country kringen. Ik had destijds nog geen groot zwak voor countrypop, wat anders waren de albums destijds niet aan mijn aandacht ontsnapt. Carly Pearce maakte immers ook op haar eerste twee albums in kwalitatief opzicht uitstekende countrypop en het is countrypop waarin de balans niet doorslaat richting aalgladde Nashville pop.

Carly Pearce trok aan het begin van 2021 voor het eerst mijn aandacht met het door haar echtscheiding geïnspireerde mini-album 29, dat later dat jaar werd uitgebreid tot een volwaardig breakup album, 29: Written In Stone. Op het album was het aandeel van authentiek klinkende Amerikaanse rootsmuziek gegroeid, maar er zat ook nog altijd flink wat pop in de muziek van de singer-songwriter uit Nashville.

Vorig jaar verscheen nog een live-album met de tracks van 29, maar deze week duikt Carly Pearce op met een nieuw album. Het is een album waar ik met hoge verwachtingen aan begon, want vorig jaar ben ik definitief gevallen voor de charmes van de betere countrypop uit Nashville en in dit genre behoort Carly Pearce sinds 29: Written In Stone tot de smaakmakers.

Op hummingbird werkt de muzikante uit Nashville, net als op 29: Written In Stone, samen met producers Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne. Het nieuwe album ligt ook in het verlengde van zijn voorganger, al hebben invloeden uit de traditionele countrymuziek flink aan terrein gewonnen. Carly Pearce maakt nog altijd muziek die past in het hokje countrypop, maar de verhouding tussen country en pop is opgeschoven richting de wat authentieker klinkende Amerikaanse rootsmuziek.

De producers van het album hebben het album voorzien van een lekker vol geluid vol gitaren, mandoline, banjo, dobro, pedal steel, viool, orgels en keyboards en een strak spelende ritmesectie als basis. Met name door de belangrijke rol voor de viool klinkt hummingbird in muzikaal opzicht met grote regelmaat als een wat traditioneler klinkend countryalbum, maar de songs op het album neigen qua structuur misschien net wat meer richting de Nashville countrypop.

Rootspuristen hoeven zich echter zeker niet af te laten schrikken door het dunne laagje pop op het nieuwe album van Carly Pearce. In muzikaal opzicht klinkt het allemaal fantastisch en ook de songs op het album zijn stuk voor stuk zeer aansprekend. Het wordt allemaal nog wat overtuigender door de zang van Carly Pearce, die beschikt over de gedroomde stem van een country(pop)zangeres. Ik heb het afgelopen jaar zoals gezegd een enorm zwak voor countrypop en dan vooral voor countrypop met veel meer country dan pop. Met hummingbird heb ik er een favoriet album in deze categorie bij.

Erwin Zijleman

Luck And Strange. David Gilmour

Does the world need another David Gilmour album? Ever since his first solo album in 1978(?), I tend to say no, it doesn't. In all honesty, I stopped listening to new albums a long time ago. I decided to give Luck And Strange a chance because I liked the single released last spring, 'The Piper's Call'. Not that I became excited, it felt simply good to hear him sing and listen to his characteristic guitar style.

I feel exactly the same listening to Luck And Strange. This is an album by an old man for older men like me. His voice clearly isn't what it was any more and yet fully o.k. Except for the odd moment here and there, Gilmour does what he is still capable of and thus raises the song by his presence which is still undeniably there.

Listening to the album more often I start noticing something which may explain me liking this album. On all his solo records and the two Pink Floyd albums after the split with Roger Waters, the songs always sounded forced to me. As if Gilmour was in a competition that he knew he couldn't win but kept trying anyway. Luck And Strange feels natural and is smooth flowing. Then add the familiar guitar sounds here and there and even that not everywhere, to lift the album. The result is an album that is good to listen to, to have it playing and immediately feel better. Should music be a competition, which is isn't, David Gilmour easily won this time compared to Roger Waters' rehashing of old themes on 'Is This The Life We Really Want?'.

For a Pink Floyd fan who came on board in 1975 with 'Wish You Were Here', Luck And Strange is the kind of album you want to hear 49 years later from your old hero. The record delivers. On the side Gilmour helps his daughter Romany into the saddle by giving her the lead spot in 'Between Two Points', a cover from a band called The Montgolfier Brothers. With a very Pink Floyd style guitar solo it grows into a beautiful song.

The biggest surprise is that Rick Wright plays on the album. The title track features his playing when the two were jamming in 2007 in Gilmour's study, in the year before Wright died. Gilmour developed it into a song recently, honouring the Pink Floyd's keyboardist.

There's nothing more you need to know. If you like Pink Floyd you will enjoy Luck And Strange. It may sound like a contradiction but exactly because, perhaps for the first time, David Gilmour is not trying to be Pink Floyd, he delivers his strongest solo album to date.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

Gift Horse. Cloud Cafe

Early spring last year Cloud Cafe made its debut on this blog with its eponymous EP. It was received quite well at the time, including being called a promise for the future. That future is now here with debut album Gift Horse. Based on what I've just read in my previous review, the band delivers on that promise.

Gift Horse is an album that can be shelved in the indie rock segment, moving towards the alternative rock one. Cloud Cafe manoeuvres itself somewhere in between the two. The campfire song underneath it all, is a little less present today, as the band clearly chose for rock and not folk. In fact, my guess is that the band members are fans of alternative rockers from New Zealand like The Beths, Vera Ellen, Aldous Harding, etc. I base that on the twists most songs have and the way Tara Wilts sings. A little less Adrianne Lenker is not the only reason Big Thief disappears around the corner. Cloud Cafe rocks harder in 2024.

Cloud Cafe is from Amsterdam and besides Wilts consists of David Coehoorn (guitar), Tom Radsma (bass) eand Dirck Kroes (drums). The band formed in 2020 and recently released its first full length album. Along the way the band started to play louder and even wilder songs. This is very noticeable in the way Gift Horse opens. 'Honey' is an alternative rock song that falls into the New Zealand category I already mentioned. As an opener I just love the song. Cloud Cafe shows what it is capable of, with a good rhythm and some inventive guitar playing (enter The Beths) in the solo. 'Honey' is the kind of song that grabs your attention immediately and tells you to start paying attention. It pays off, I assure you.

Promo photo

Gift Horse is a very varied album. Let me lift out two other songs. 'Completely Here' is a pretty wild song. It opens with a huge intro riff and a rhythm section that really goes for it. For the verse things are toned down on the guitar, giving the song breathing space. This allows Tara Wilts to sing with her soft, breathy voice without having to exert herself. She reminds me here of the singer of Dakota, from before the band became Loupe. 'Completely Here' will most likely be a successful song to grab an audience's attention. On the other hand there is a dark song called 'Trash Blanket'. There's not a lot of daylight allowed in here and shows a totally different side of Cloud Cafe.

The rest of the album hovers between the first song and these two outer edges. Indie rock, at times even a little jangly, where the song is more prominent and alternative rock where the music is more prominent, are the two main flavours with which Cloud Cafe sets a new step in its career. OK, I will allow a little shoegaze as well ('I Don't Mind'). No, heaven and earth are not moved but Gift Horse is truly delivering on the promise made by the EP. An album very much worthwhile checking out.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

You can order the album here:

https://excelsior-recordings.com/products/cloud-cafe-gift-horse

You can order the EP here:

https://cloud-cafe.bandcamp.com/album/cloud-cafe

Gift Horse is a varied album, as it does not always rock this hard, and is not as dark as the final song

Indiestad, Great Gable, La Luz and CVC. Paradiso, Amsterdam Sunday 8 May 2024

Photo: Wout de Natris

It turned out that La Luz played at a festival, Indiestad, in Paradiso and not its own headlining show. So, instead I got to see three bands. As I came for the Californian band, I will start there.

La Luz

With its latest album 'News Of The Universe' La Luz for the first time really grabbed me. Having entered my life with its previous album, 'La Luz', the band's latest was the real ear opener. I truly liked 'La Luz' at the time and played the album a lot, but as things go, at some point it recedes into my vast collection. Playing it again to prepare for the show, I was "shocked" to find out how regular it sounded compared to 'News Of The Universe'. I will give it another chance, do not worry. As I should the first two albums. I still have to check them out.

La Luz to my surprise did most of the setting up all by itself. They were carrying their instruments and everything on stage, already wearing their stage clothes and everything. There was a provided backline, that may make a difference. We heard a little of the soundcheck and went outside into the sun for a few minutes.

Photo: Wout de Natris

La Luz totally delivered. The band is good, well played in and the three part vocal harmonies really shine. What did surprise me was the surf guitar sound of singer Shuna Cleveland's guitar. Perhaps because live it is more prominent than on record or a special live feature. It sounded great, so I was not complaining.

What also struck me more in the live setting than on record, is the dreampop element in the music. The contributions on keyboard by Maryam Qudus certainly contributed to the dreampop sound. I can imagine the band on a stage with Warpaint, except that on average I appreciate La Luz more musically. The songs are stronger, melodically as well as where variation is concerned. La Luz seems to have more imagination. E.G., i noticed the Frank Zappa influence in the instrumental song. Totally wacky notes and riffs, played unisono on guitar, bass and synth.

The most fun was to hear the great songs live. La Luz totally delivered there. Bassist Lee Johnson may be new to the band, she stood there as if she was present for the past twelve years. With a strong drummer, Audrey Johnson, in support, the songs came alive, as did the band and the audience. The interaction certainly was there. We warmed each other with the glowing songs coming from the stage. (And for Shana, it's Broek op Waterland. Go and see it sone day.)

Photo: Wout de Natris

Great Gable

Great Gable comes all the way from Perth in Australia and was promoted to the big hall, as Dylan LeBlanc wasn't in the Paradiso. To be honest, for several songs I couldn't help thinking, why are these guys (and a gal) playing here and not at the local high school dance? To my ears there was nothing original, no fire, nothing that merits a stage in a venue like the Paradiso. I had heard it all before and at that so, so much better. And then the singer introduced a song called 'Drift'. It was far slower and did have a touch of quality. Yes, it did sound familiar as well, but here it did not matter. Finally, a spark came across. The music had the people swaying and touched them. The two or three songs that followed, were played with more fire in them and made me understand why Great Gable is able to cross an ocean or two and invited to play a festival like Indiestad. It was a tight affair though. Had I left, just like my friend present did, then everything before 'Drift' would have been my final words.

Photo: Wout de Natris

CVC

The surprise of the day played upstairs in the small room of Paradiso. To a packed room CVC from Wales rocked in a way I hadn't heard since the 1970s and at that only on record. With a six men line up, with a lead singer, who was not the lead singer in about half of the songs, the band recreated everything from funk bands like the Average White Band and Atlanta Rhythm Section to large disco bands from the late 70s and all spiked with a dose of rock that made all songs incredibly swinging. The three part vocal harmonies made the songs shine even more. All five musicians are incredibly good on their respective instruments. I heard fantastic drumming, great bass parts, inventive lead lines and incredible rhythmic playing with keyboards to top it all off. There was even a suave David Sanborn style sax solo! The swing was always there, making the audience move the whole time. Equally important, the band showed that it wanted to play these songs for the audience. They wanted us to have a good time, then to go home and tell all our friends about CVC. Here you are. Now for a question, which famous riff was played? 'I Want You (She's So Heavy') of 'In The Flesh'? at first I thought the latter and then started doubting afterwards. The cover of 'Lady (Hear Me Tonight)' came as a surprise, just as surprising to find out that the song is not from the late 70s but from 2000. How do I know it then, as I'd stopped listening to pop radio for years by then. It didn't matter, CVC is one swinging rock machine with more influences worked into its music than I have space here to mention. My friend even heard Pink Floyd the whole time. As a side note, a comment on how good Brexit is working for bands. CVC did not bring any merchandise, as it was too much of a hassle, losing a lot of money on the side.

The nice thing about a festival is that it can surprise and with CVC it did. La Luz delivered and totally lived up to expectations.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

The Maureens Live. Haarlem, Saturday 7 August 2024

Photo: Rob Postema

Having a band play in your living room is always special. When a band like The Maureens comes in to play, things get even more special. In my review of 'Everyone Smiles' earlier this year, I wrote that The Maureens may be the best pop band of The Netherlands. After last night I'm totally convinced they are and with me most of the friends and acquaintances who were present. Even kids hanging around in the street were waving their arms in front of the garden listening in from the street.

In our street lives a 95 year old lady and since a few years she attends each show. It has become one of the highlights in her life. Yesterday she could not come because she felt ill. When I told the band, they said let's go over there and so we did. We saw an old lady come alive, clapping her hands to the rhythm, and radiating from the attention she was given. A soundcheck can wait ten minutes when you can make somebody happy.

The same thing happened when the band started to play one hour later. From the very beginning it was quite clear that people were touched, touched by the music, the melodies and the harmonies of The Maureens. With its recent single 'Allison' the band set the tone for the evening. Pure pop, a hint of country, mixing melancholy and delicacy with strength. But above all what showed in abundance was the joy of playing together and playing their songs for a receptive audience. Here were four men who travelled to the other side of the country to have a good time together as well.

Photo: Rob Postema

Besides playing songs from the band's albums we were treated to a total of five new songs, that are in the process of being finalised. The introduction to one of them showed how long the process is towards a new album. Songs are written and rehearsed before a band can start recording. The goal is to have the arrangements ready by the end of the year, rehearse some more and record for two weeks in May 2025. The release then is planned for early 2026. That is still 1,5 year away. In the meantime everything from mixing, to pressings has to take place, and the promotion campaign prepared. The days that The Beatles recorded its new single and released it one week later lay far behind us. One thing is certain though, at some point after the release The Maureens will return to this living room.

What makes The Maureens so good? Of course liking a band or not is subjective. Where The Maureens are concerned a few criteria stand out. The band members are extremely good in finding melodies in the main melody line. Bassist Wouter will always find a spot to play a fantastic melodic, almost solo line within a song. At some point he leaves the bass track and for about two bars plays something beautiful. Guitarist Ruud supports the song but when he leaves for a solo, it is always played with delicacy, often melodic lines woven into soloing notes. He remains a part of the whole, so in a way is still supporting the song and not out on his own with a "look at me" stance that many solo guitarists have. Finally, the vocal harmonies. Two, three and occasionally even four part harmonies fly around your ears. When harmonies are perfect, something seems to happen with the very air in the room. It reverberates somehow. This is what happened a few time here. That is not all.

Foto: Rob Postema

At the heart of it all are the songs of course. The Maureens have several that would have deserved to become a hit or at least a radio hit. The band's anthem 'September' above all. On record with an organ, here with a beautiful guitar solo. In the oohs and aahhs in the, long, outro all the pain of loss is felt through the singing. This is just one example of a host of really, really great songs that came by. Judging by the people who left with a cd or LP under their arms, I was not the only one who was impressed. If you have not heard of The Maureens before, check this band out. It really does not get much better in 2024.

A living room show is a marginal affair but I imagine it to be quite satisfying, as the interaction between artist and audience is almost natural when the distance between the two is not much more that a chair's length, let alone knees near touching. Thank you, The Maureens for a magical evening!

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

You can listen to and order The Maureens' records here:

https://themaureens.bandcamp.com/album/everyone-smiles

Eight Pointed Star. Marina Allen

Marina Allen borduurt op haar tweede album voort op haar zo goede debuutalbum, maar kiest ook voor net wat minder complexe songs en voegt bovendien een zeer aangename country vibe toe aan haar songs.

Ik weet nog goed dat Marina Allen voor het eerst opdook met het fraaie mini-album Candlepower. We zijn inmiddels drie jaar verder en toe aan het tweede volwaardige album van de Amerikaanse muzikante. Net als haar debuutalbum is ook Eight Pointed Star een album dat in muzikaal opzicht dieper graaft dan de meeste andere singer-songwriters albums van het moment en dat wat complexere songs bevat. Het zorgt ervoor dat er van alles valt te ontdekken in de songs van Marina Allen, die dit keer niet alleen invloeden uit de folk en jazz verwerkt, maar ook een vleugje country heeft toegevoegd aan haar album, dat net als zijn voorganger de aandacht trekt met prachtige zang.

Het in de lente van 2021 verschenen Candlepower duurde nog geen twintig minuten, maar in de zeven tracks op het mini-album maakte de Amerikaanse muzikante Marina Allen, die ook in de band Sylvie speelt, wat mij betreft een onuitwisbare indruk. Dat deed de singer-songwriter uit Los Angeles door flink wat invloeden uit de late jaren 60 en vroege jaren 70 te verwerken, waarbij ze zich zowel liet inspireren door de Laurel Canyon folk als door de tijdloze singer-songwriter pop en de psychedelische folk uit deze periode.

Candlepower viel op door behoorlijk complexe songs, door de veelkleurige en avontuurlijke instrumentatie en door de mooie maar ook bijzondere zang van Marina Allen, die anders klonk dan de meeste andere vrouwelijke singer-songwriters van dat moment. Dat deed ze ook op haar in de herfst van 2022 verschenen debuutalbum Centrifics, dat het bijzondere geluid van Candlepower perfectioneerde en invloeden uit de jazz toevoegde aan haar al zo bijzondere geluid.

De muziek op Centrifics was nog wat tijdlozer, de songs waren nog wat complexer en de zang op het album, die me met enige regelmaat aan Karen Carpenter herinnerde, was nog wat mooier. Het gekke is dat ik bij eerste beluisteringen van het album zo onder de indruk was van de muziek van Marina Allen dat een plek in mijn jaarlijstje een zekerheid leek, maar uiteindelijk ben ik Centrifics toch verrassend snel vergeten.

Dat is jammer, heel jammer zelfs, want toen ik het album vorige week weer eens beluisterde was ik eigenlijk direct weer diep onder de indruk van de songs van Marina Allen. De reden om weer eens naar haar muziek te luisteren was de release van het tweede album van de muzikante uit Los Angeles. Het deze week verschenen Eight Pointed Star is met een speelduur van 32 minuten wat aan de korte kant, maar ook dit keer maakt Marina Allen makkelijk indruk met haar bijzondere songs.

Voor de productie deed ze ook dit keer een beroep op muzikant en producer Chris Cohen (Ohmme, Weyes Blood, Amber Arcades, Le Ren), maar Eight Pointed Star klinkt duidelijk anders dan voorganger Centrifics. Ook het nieuwe album van Marina Allen is voorzien van een hele mooie en veelkleurige instrumentatie en ook de zang van de Amerikaanse muzikante is weer prachtig. Dat Eight Pointed Star anders klinkt dan het debuutalbum van Marina Allen en het mini-album dat er aan vooraf ging heeft vooral te maken met de songs, die wat minder complex en ook minder jazzy zijn dan in het verleden.

Het zijn songs die in een aantal gevallen een subtiele country injectie hebben gekregen door bijdragen van de pedal steel, maar invloeden uit de folk spelen nog altijd de belangrijkste rol op het album, dat gevarieerder is dan het debuutalbum van de Amerikaanse muzikante en dat ik ook wat eigentijdser vind klinken. Door het minder complexe karakter dringen de songs van Marina Allen zich wat mij betreft wat makkelijker op, maar het zijn nog altijd songs die de fantasie uitvoerig prikkelen, al kan er ook zomaar een verrassend aanstekelijke popsong met een vleugje rock opduiken.

Net als voorganger Centrifics is ook Eight Pointed Star echt veel te mooi om in de vergetelheid te raken de komende maanden. Ik ga er zelf daarom alles aan doen om dit bijzonder mooie album voor de afwisseling eens niet te vergeten, al is het maar omdat de songs van Marina Allen ook over flink wat groeipotentie beschikken.

Erwin Zijleman

Je kunt Eight Pointed Star hier luisteren en bestellen:

https://marinagallen.bandcamp.com/album/eight-pointed-star

2024, week 36 10 singles

On what may be final warm summer day of 2024, it's time to finalise this post. It's warm and horridly humid, so not the finest of days. Today I present mostly familiar names to this blog. Of the three new ones, two are familiar anyway. That gives you enough to discover. So, Enjoy.

Always Winning. Neighbours Burning Neighbours

When I read the name Alicia Breton Ferrer, always a load of noise starts playing inside of my head. The more surprising the start and by far most of Neighbours Burning Neighbours' new single is. Always Winning starts with a soft guitar melody that keeps up for most of the single. The story that comes with the video tells that Alicia was just noodling away on her guitar in the studio when the rest of the band was busy on other parts. From one thing came another and soon Always Winning existed. The single does have its sonic explosions, what keeps with me is that seemingly simple but oh so effective guitar melody, that is the anker of the song. What it shows is that Neighbours Burning Neighbours scores when it tones down as well. With the release in just a few days, the album is finally close.

Don't Get Me Started. The Smile

People in the know and that will be all fans and beyond will know that The Smile, Radioheads' Thom Yorke and Johnny Greenwood and drummer Tom Skinner, is about to release its second album of 2024. Gone are the days that a band takes four or five years to release a new album. Except for Radiohead. Greenwood's brother Colin has even moved to Nick Cave's Bad Seeds for a tour. Don't Get Me Started is far more digital and fleeting than anything on 'Wall Of Eyes'. As such, and I can't help comparing, it reminds me of 'Kid A' and 'Amnesiac', where melodic music at times is near non-existent. At the same time the coming and going of the sound of the synth brings to mind what The Who was doing at the time of 'Who's Next', without the rock. In other words, Don't Get Me Started is a song I will have to get used to or forget about, like I forgot 'Kid A'. The subtlety of the song is something I can appreciate though. It's just that I may not want to hear it often.

Living In The Summer. The Laissez Fairs

The title is so accurate at the time of writing. Tomorrow may be the last warm day of the summer. Today it certainly was. Tanning just a little extra during lunch before sweaters come out of the cupboards next week. The Laissez Fairs place everyone listening to the song in a time machine. Including the cover art of the single we are transposed back to the summer of love. With a riff rephrasing The Monkees' 'Last Train To Clarksville' and so many other songs in kind, psychedelia is spread out as if it never went out of fashion in 1969. The good news is that Living In The Summer totally works. Set the controls for the summer of 1967 and we're totally out there, far out even. How come that a song like this remains so much fun? I truly do not know, having been too young to live through that summer in the know. The songs captured me, some then, most (long) after. Living In The Summer just did it straight away. It's spacey rock and roll and I like it.

Time In History. The Brother Stereo

How many musicians are there in Boston? Are there even any artists there that do not create beautiful songs? In the past years I've gotten to know so much music that I rank very high from the city and even today I'm still surprised regularly. Today by a single from The Brother Stereo, a band led by Michael Robert Kelly, a brother of Dropkick Murphys' drummer Matt Kelly. That is a nice to know, but inconsequential where Time In History is concerned. It is an epic rock song like they used to make them a long, long time ago. Think 'More Than A Feeling' by, eh, Boston. The kind of song that takes you through a range of emotions. The Brother Stereo do so in mid-tempo rocker mood, with a firm set of drums at its heart. Around it many guitars and keys swirl, while the bass and rhythm guitar keep things tight. The singing is serious, slightly melancholy in a resigned way but above all touching. "I give you my shoulder to cry" and the guitar takes off to great effect. What sticks with me is the way the song is arranged, except for the little messy and strange interlude this song is a straight A, or 10 over here.

Grafschrift. De Mannen Broeders

Wow, wat heb ik nu aan mijn klomp hangen? Inmiddels zal het tien jaar geleden zijn dat Tonnie Dieleman als broeder Dieleman zijn debuut maakte op dit blog. Vele verrassingen passeerden in die jaren, maar na wat wellicht zijn meest popgeorienteerde album genoemd mag worden, komt hier Grafschrift van De Mannen Broeders, waarin Dieleman met Colin van Eeckhout en vaste pianist Pim van der Werken ouderwets de diepte in gaat. Met een galm alsof de muziek is opgenomen in de protestantse kerk van Axel waar de video is geschoten, klinkt de muziek mysterieus en bijzonder indringend tegelijkertijd. (De muziek is opgenomen in een kerk in Middelburg lees ik later.) De samenwerking is een opvallende, omdat Van Eeckhout een post-metal zanger is in de band Amenra. Zijn stem past echter bij Dielemans alsof het zo bedoeld is. Het begin van het lied is een tekst die de dominee van Axel schreef voor zijn overleden vriend die pastoor was in de katholieke kerk. Dat kon natuurlijk niet, maar hij had schijt, zoals wij in Nederland al eeuwen zeggen. Alleen dit soort handreikingen maken de wereld betere plek. Dat zouden meer mensen moeten doen. Er komt een heel album aan, op 13 oktober genaamd 'Sober Maal'.

Hello Operator. Librarians With Hickeys

"I'm on a party line, wondering all the time, who's on the other end", "Hello Operator, I want to talk to you", "Long-distance operator give me Memphis, Tennessee', etc., etc., are all songs that have whole generations wondering what it is all about. What is an operator? Librarians With Hickeys' members seem to have the age that they may have called through an operator. I have, only abroad though. The pop of Librarians With Hickeys is just as infectious as the pop songs from the days an operator still manned, femaled is not an existing word but would be more accurate, telephone exchanges. With the jangly sound of a Rickenbacker the band takes the jangly sound of The Byrds just a little bit further into pop-rock territory, sparkling all the way. Hello Operator in more than one sense is not from 2024 but no less welcome. This is first class pop music and nothing else.

Holy, Holy. Geordie Greep

Geordie Greep is the band leader of Black Midi, one of the most baffling bands of the past decade. Unfollowable changes in the music make it hard to keep up, despite that what is going on is obviously well done. Holy, Holy, perhaps is even more surprising, as the song can be followed, as it contains a truckload of influences from Steely Dan, to Santana, right up to Frank Sinatra. It is the way that this all is mixed that makes my jaw drop more than twice during Holy, Holy. There seems to be no end to the song for one. It it totally manic, as there's no rest for the wicked and the good. Who is able to listen to this song and relax for even a second? I'd even to as far as to advise people with even the slightest sensory sensibilities to refrain from listening. What a trip Holy, Holy is. But what does all this mean of Black Midi's future?

War Inside Our hearts. New Earth Farmers

It's only 1,5 years ago that New Earth Farmers debuted on WoNoBlog with its album 'The Good Ones Got Away'. A new album is coming up, 4 October 'The Sky From The Underground'. With War Inside Our Hearts the band throws in a good rocking bone to start things off. It may start with an acoustic guitar, before you know it the band kicks in and off we are. Paul Knowles c.s. allow no rest here. The drums pound on relentless, with the snare really getting it. Nigel Twist is really going for it in this song. The rest of the band follows suit. At the right time a warm Hammond comes in, as does a wailing lead guitar. War is raging all over the world it seems these days or is it just that it seems far closer to home than ever in my life time? So why not one in the heart as well. Time to make peace, folks, but not at all cost. In the meantime let's enjoy this fine rocking song.

Hideaway. Black Doldrums

A trio from London, Kevin Goddard, guitar/vocals, Sophie Landers, drums and new bassist Daniel Armstrong, plays psychedelic rock but with the accent on rock. Black Doldrums rocks alright. Landers drums like Mo Tucker on steroids, banging the floor tom and bass drum, Goddard plays layer after layer of guitars building a veritable wall of sound from high to low, from strictly rhythm to what could be called a riff and lead sounds. Armstrong walks his bass through it all making the song more adventurous. Hideaway is powerful and charged. The kind of rock song that makes me want to move. Musically it reminds me of The Black Angels, with some of that Texan jalapeños in the you know where. Black Doldrums do not beat around the bush but go for the rocking prize. As this is my introduction to the band, at least so I thought, until I found 'Sad Paradise' among the singles of week 1, 2022. Please excuse me for not having a recollection. The re-acquaintance is just fine, thank you. And to finish my initial thought, I can't tell whether the single is an outlier or announcement of much more to come. Let's be patient.

Vertical. Arliston

With the dreamy single 'Monks Of Lindisfarne' Arliston made its debut on this blog, just a few months ago. It returns with its second single, vertical. However, had someone had me listen to the single I would have though that Matt Berninger decided to sing a little differently than usual and use an effect on his voice here and there. Vertical is 100% The National inspired .... and then takes off to do its own thing. Underneath the song there is something electronic and atmospheric. Then comes an electric piano before the rest is introduced. The music is layered and suggests a huge sound. Singer Jack Ratcliffe can use his voice just like Berninger but is not afraid to go higher and easily reaches there. Nor to play with electronic devices to his vocals. The music becomes more and more layered and comes so alive, driven by drummer Sam Catchpole. He is really making the most of this song and successfully so. Vertical is a serious song but one filled with musical joy that shouts out louder and louder as the single progresses. Somewhere in the future Arliston's album will be released. It's to be called 'Disappointment Machine'.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

Good Times For A Change. Tamar Berk

Having released three albums in as many years, Tamar Berk's idea was to take a year off from writing and recording. Then things that had happened to her started to affect her deeply in a different way and as happens with many artists, the imagination is triggered, inspiration strikes and the music starts flowing. For some reason it seems to work this way for many artists. As fans, we do not wish harm nor sorrow to our artists in any way, but somehow, I'm sorry to write, we are the ones who tend to profit from their hardship and misery. Good Times For A Change is no exception.

Tamar Berk with 'The Restless Dreams Of Youth' (2021), 'Start At The End' (2022) and 'Tiny Injuries' (2023) released three very nice albums. It is with Good Times For A Change that she seems to have hit the jackpot. She rocks harder, her ballads touch me deeper and the overall impression is of an album that can go with the best of them in 2024.

The album starts with two solid powerpop rock songs. 'Good Impression' is a song that Joan Jett would surely have liked to have written in 2024. The rhythm guitar is extremely powerful and driving. It allows Tamar Berk to make us flow in melodies, instrumental and vocal, with a great guitar solo to boot. The overdubs fly in from all sides it seems and all are spot on. The powerpop is laid on even thicker in the intro of 'That's Not A Lie'. In the lyrics recriminations are flying around, indirect and direct ones. 'That's Not A Lie' is or better, comes across as a psychologically vicious break up song. There's no self-sparing here it seems. The guitar solo cries tears of anger and regret. This is the kind of song that is almost painful to listen to. Listening to the song, it is noticeable how the mood changes from the exuberant intro, to a tense verse and pre chorus. No matter how fine the chorus is musically, the ebullient outgoing intro does not return. The mood changed from glad to sadness, to quote Jim Morrison, and resignation. The result is an impressive rock song with a strong 90s flavour. What a contrast with 'You Trigger Me'. Lyrically it appears to be starting from the same place but is one big, defiant (punk)rocker, while she tells herself she "has to get over it". The song almost trips over its own legs, it's so enthusiastic. Another highlight of the album.

In 'Chicago' she looks back on herself as a young woman living in Chicago and driving back home to Ohio, to mum and dad. She captures the melancholy mood double. The longing to be home at the time and circa looking back on her 25 to 30 years younger self. It is an example of how Tamar Berk presents the different moods on Good Times For A Change. Nearly all songs contain a different mood. From vulnerable to defiant and self-assured. In all songs though the music is so rich. Even if the influences range from 1990s alternative rock to The Kinks circa 1980, Heart in the mid 80s or a Mick Taylor inspired Stones solo, she mixes them successfully into her own musical universe. Just listen to a great song like 'I Don't Mind' or a ballad like 'Sorrow Is Hunting' to hear some of these examples.

For an artist that plays a host of the instruments herself and then add all co-producer Matt Walker plays, it is amazing how many people are involved in the record. A host of guitarists play solos or otherwise distinctive parts, besides musicians adding other instruments like keyboard or strings. Together they make up an album that is extremely rich in sound. Tamar Berk must have had a grand sounding album in mind as she succeeded gloriously. This includes a string laden, beautiful ballad like 'Millennium Park'.

On Good Times For A Change Tamar Berk reaches for the sky and lands on her cloud of choice successfully. Her music on this album has reached new heights and is totally convincing. Listen and you will be convinced as well. As albums always come a lot later than when they were written and recorded, let's hope that good times have arrived! On the basis of this record she has every reason to be quite content.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght

You can listen to and order Good Times For A Change here:

https://tamarberk.bandcamp.com/album/good-times-for-a-change

Still Willing. Personal Trainer

In 2022, as some may recollect, I was not immediately besotted with Personal Trainer's debut album, 'Big Love Blanket'. In hindsight, it was one of the best albums of the year and of this decade. An album I played a lot over the past two years. With the release of Still Willing I can only hope not to make the same mistake.

The band can relax, I won't. After there is a level of expectation and recognition level that has to be met after all. Both are, and in a very satisfactory way. Personal Trainer with Still Willing takes its music to a next level, keeping itself firmly in the Dutch postpunk / alternative rock poll position.

Having listened to Still Willing multiple times by now, the album has stirred and shaken me (sorry 007), as the album shoots off in many and different directions, among and within songs. It shows how this band is progressing with giant steps. In the past two years Personal Trainer has learned to: infuse more pop elements from the past six decades into its songs and show restraint and abandon within anything from 10 seconds to a minute. The band just as easily strips a host of instruments and musicians, to next explode as if it is metal band or a rock symphonic orchestra.

It results in music that is even more varied than 'Big Love Blanket'. Yes, Personal Trainer is still an alternative rock band but like a band as Fontaines D.C. the development shows the band is no longer comfortable within that moniker and refuses to linger there exclusively. Other influences are let in, causing the band to show its growth and perhaps future direction. Signing to a U.K. label also shows ambition and may open doors and options that would remain closed from NL. To me this is a timely change, as this band is ready for more and should receive the opportunity to try.

Singer and band leader Willem Smit obviously is getting more and more comfortable with his role as front man. Although the way he uses his voice in some of the songs, makes me wonder whether he can keep this up in a day after day live setting. On record it shows passion, (dis)comfort and effort, making the album even more diverse than it already is.

What my favourite song is? That is far too early to tell, I notice. My mind keeps telling me something different the whole time. At this point in time I see the album as a whole, full of surprises, still. I will buy it at my local record store at the first opportunity and then start deepening my relationship with it. Just like I did with 'Big Love Blanket'. Ask me what my favourite song of that album is and I still say I keep changing my mind. So, there you go. Still Willing is off to a great start.

There's just this little thought in the back of my head. His previous bands all folded after the second or third album. This time it will be a real shame, as Personal Trainer is next level in all ways. Persevere!

Wout de Natris - van den Borght

 

You can listen to and order Still Waiting here:

https://personaltrainer.bandcamp.com/album/still-willing